New Delhi: Death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan, days after he was brutally attacked by prison inmates inside the high-security Kot Lakhpat jail, has evoked strong reactions in India.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Sarabjit Singh. He was a brave son of India who bore his tribulations with valiant fortitude. May his soul be granted the peace that he could not enjoy in life.”

Union Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid: "A sustainable and long lasting relationship between two countries has to be between people. That relation has been hurt by what has happened today."

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal: "Government of India too dithered and dilly-dallied in reacting to the attack on him (Sarabjit). Was enough done to save him? Steps by government of India to secure his release earlier were weak and totally inadequate.”

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj: "It is a cold blooded murder. This is not the way civilized nations behave."

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi: "Centre is unable to give a strong answer to Pakistan's inhuman acts"."Both, the Government of India & Government of Pakistan have misled people on Sarabjit Singh issue. The truth must come out."

Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi: "Sarabjit's death inside Pakistan prison was preventable. Need to find out if our Consulate in Lahore was regularly visiting him?”

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari: "It was abject failure of Pakistan. What happened was inhuman, barbaric and that is not the manner in which a civilized state treats prisoners in their custody,"